So you want to work for Hootsuite?

It’s an empty nest no longer. Hundreds of Hootsuite hopefuls flocked to a job fair held Oct. 8, eager to fill 100 new positions at the social media company’s headquarters in Vancouver.

The lineup stretched for two blocks, lasted three hours and included approximately 1,000 job seekers from various industries. The technology company’s casual work environment, which features foosball tables and an open bar, may be one reason the fair attracted such an overwhelming response.

Students who missed the job opportunity will have another chance to make an impression with the company as Hootsuite plans on holding another job fair in the near future, according to vice-president of talent Ambrosia Humphrey.

Langara students have a ‘wing’ up with free online training

So how does the average student stand out in the crowd of eager Hootsuite potentials?

“Often people that get hired for these positions are ones that carry themselves really well online,” says Dean Tsatouhas, a member of the Langara Business Association (LBA). “It’s no longer just about your physical appearance and your physical demeanour, but you have to represent yourself well online too.”

Tsatouhas has spearheaded a partnership between Hootsuite University and the student-run club, The Social Media Network. The club, initiated at Simon Fraser University but affiliated with the LBA, instructs students on the importance of having strong social media skills to obtain jobs after graduation.

Hootsuite’s software is a streamlined hub through which various social media profiles can be managed. By routing Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other online profiles through the software’s dashboard, multiple posts can be made simultaneously to all profiles.

“It’s very useful for people who manage more than one account,” says Tsatouhas. “Say you’re a member of a student club and you have those accounts you want to run in addition to your personal ones, it’s a really good tool to be able to use to manage all your mentions, follows, likes.”

Hootsuite University usually costs $21 per month but LBA members will get the service for free, says Tsatouhas. The online program teaches users how to become more adept at using Hootsuite’s software.

Social media has quickly become the new standard for business communications. If you want to stand out to future employers it’s important to brand yourself by having a blog or website featuring samples of your work, says Tsatouhas.

Hootsuite resolves recent staffing troubles with unpaid internships

The recent job fair comes just six months after controversy surfaced that Hootsuite was not paying its interns. A job advertisement requesting interns to work full-time, without pay, attracted 400 comments criticizing the illegal practice.

However, CEO Ryan Holmes announced that any interns who worked for Hootsuite six months prior to the advertisement would receive back pay plus interest.